Apollo 7 astronaut Cunningham dies at age 90

STORY: U.S. astronaut Walter Cunningham flew to space

aboard Apollo 7 in October 1968

The 11-day mission was the first human test flight of the new Apollo spacecraft

It paved the way for Apollo 11's landing on the lunar surface in July 1969

for the historic first moon walks by Neil Armstrong and Edwin 'Buzz' Aldrin

Prior to joining NASA, Cunningham served in the U.S. NAvy and Marine Corps

flying 54 missions as a fighter pilot before retiring with the rank of colonel

He died on January 3, 2023 at age 90